Goal!!!!!

The two favorite recent words of my 16 month old daughter are “Goal!” and “No!” I don’t let her watch TV but this World Cup found me, as a stay home mom so I can stay home and enjoy all the games for the first time in 15 years. Mmmmm, life is good, isn’t it? Here are 10 thoughts about World Cup 2014.

1. Ideally, I would prefer to be in Europe or another country that is fond of football or how here in America people call it: Soccer! I had to google for places that show the games in Las Vegas where in Europe you find huge screens and people watching the games outside like you are in a stadium. Almost every coffee shop or bar will show the games and if the games are late at night and you want to go to a club, you can still dance and watch the game at the same time!

2. I live in a neighborhood with lots of Mexicans but I haven’t heard anyone so far screaming, “Goal!” and run outside in the front yard greeting the other neighbor.

3. I was surprised though how many Americans watched the game, USA-Ghana, cheering for their home team. I cheered for USA of course!

4. My husband had no clue of soccer before he met me, but now he text messages me to know about the score of each game and hear my thoughts about every game! I feel like a sport journalist! I would have become a good one!

5. For the first time, my thoughts about almost every game are the similar to my dad’s. He used to be a soccer player and he always thought I watched the games because of good looking guys, but who is the expert now?

6. Smaller teams are doing a phenomenal job and I never underestimated them because I have seen smaller teams rise and big teams fall. Don’t be surprised! It happens in soccer! I have been a fan all of my life and I can testify to this! Brazil can be beaten by Mexico, and Italy can almost always win against England and loose with Chile.

7.Commercials during World Cup are sooo good! Here are the links of two of my favorite ones!

8.I like the competition during the World Cup but also I like the atmosphere of togetherness that joins people from different countries. I get super competitive when my favorite team plays. Sometimes I need a break because I feel like I’ll have a heart attack and believe me, this is normal among soccer fans, males or females!

9. I said at the beginning that I don’t let my daughter watch TV but I keep it on during a game and it just so happens that she is not taking a nap. My beliefs about kids not spending a long time watching TV haven’t changed but it’s ok if she sees her mommy have it on for a soccer game. I want to create traditions for her and World Cup is on my list.

10. Which is my favorite team? America…or…ITALY? Well, now that I’m married to an American and live in USA, of course I cheer for them to win. Also, if USA does win, or even makes it close to the final match, soccer will be more popular and that means more people will like it and they’ll show it more on TV. I thought it strange that during the opening of the World Cup Ceremony, ESPN was showing golf. Really? Anyway, the team that I have cheered on since a little girl, and since Albania never made it into a World Cup, is Italy!!!! Vai Italia! Why Italy? Maybe I’ll write in another post if you are interested!